


Deliver Us

by Harbinger



Category: Norse Mythology, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Human Sacrifice, Tumblr Prompt, Viking Era, myth and Marvel Loki
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-22
Updated: 2013-05-22
Packaged: 2017-12-12 15:58:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 580
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/813370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harbinger/pseuds/Harbinger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The village has been suffering for years now and finally, the Seer comes up with an answer to please the mercurial god to whom they pray: a sacrifice.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Deliver Us

**Author's Note:**

> Got a prompt this morning on tumblr from my amazing, lovely Clint, with a succinct prompt of "Loki/Maria - Viking Era." It was supposed to be three sentences. Yeah. That worked well. As always, I can be found at tricksteringreen.tumblr.com for questions, comments, or more prompts!

The young woman gaped at the earl, stunned and terrified for what she had just been told. “You…want to s-sacrifice me to…to Loki?” Her voice trembled and shook, terror reaching up to curl icy fingers around her heart and making her shiver from head to toe, despite the warmth of the lodge.

The earl’s lips drew back into a nasty smile. “Yes. The seer says that our recent troubles are because we have angered the Trickster. He says that we can soothe him by offering up our most beautiful woman and that, my dear Maria, is you.”

There was, of course, nothing she could do; an earl’s word was third to only two other beings - the king second and the gods first. If the seer said that the Chaos god demanded sacrifice to be sated, then the village would sacrifice. No animals would suffice to soothe the ire of Loki; only the finest could do that. The Jotun was temperamental and capricious and mercurial, as well they had learned, and needed something worthy of his stature to calm him.

So the young woman found herself brought to the seer’s camp and prepared; they washed her body and anointed oil at her shoulders, neck, breasts, belly, and waist. A light cloak was given to cover her, but she was allowed nothing else. Jewels adorned her at forehead, throat, forearms, biceps, around her thighs and waist, at her ankles, all meant to draw the Trickster god’s attention. Her hair was brushed until it shone like satin against the light green cloak, hanging nearly to her waist.

But nothing anyone said or did allayed her fears. She did not want to die, not even for a god. While the law stated that human sacrifices were meant to be willing, that law could be ignored should the need be dire and it was. 

When she found herself standing at one of the temples nearby erected for the Chaos god, Maria could not stop the terrible trembles that shook her from head to toe. The seer came to stand before her while the Angel of Death stood behind, the cool blade of its knife resting against her throat. The seer spoke in grandiose tones, proclaiming of Loki’s power and strength and wisdom, begging him to accept this offering that they had brought to him and hoping that it would ease his ire towards their humble village.

Then the Angel of Death slit Maria’s throat in one smooth, quick slice; she barely felt it at all.

Darkness took her and she drifted amid the void of death and life for a time. Yet, when next she opened her eyes, the sight that greeted her stole her breath from her. 

He lounged lazily on a chair that was nearly large enough to be called a throne, clad in elegant dress of emerald green, ebony black, and rich, dark gold. He looked nothing at all like their depictions of him; where auburn hair should have been instead was black, sweeping back from a high forehead, framing the most handsome face she had ever laid eyes to. 

Maria stayed where she knelt, trembling as the dark god known as Loki rose and walked towards her with an elegant, predator’s gait. He reached down to cup her face gently, smiling warmly at her. His voice murmured out in a rich, sultry purr and she found herself both tensing and relaxing to his voice and touch. “Welcome home, Maria.”


End file.
